As much as we love promoting the latest and greatest from the smartphone world, we’re still committed to recommending the best bangs for one’s buck. Now that we’re more or less done covering 2018’s top flagship phones, let’s take a look back at which smartphones from 2017 are still worth buying today.
Here, we take discounted pricing, legacy features, and relevance in today’s market into consideration. There are lots of great products from last year to be found, but these seven are the ones that we would still wholeheartedly recommend up until now.
Essential Phone
This has to be the king of 2017 smartphones that are still relevant today. Not only does its build, performance, and software updates hold up to this day, you can find the Essential Phone at extremely discounted prices. Even better: There’s no successor in sight, so you know you’re getting nothing but the best support from Essential’s sole product.
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
Not a fan of the notched, Touch ID-less iPhone revolution? We feel like the iPhone 8 Plus with its untainted display and front-mounted fingerprint scanner is for those who want a more traditional experience. Apple still sells it, and at discounted prices. Get one while you can, because it’s looking like Apple has no plans of going back to this design.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Since the Galaxy Note 9 turned out to be such an incremental upgrade over its predecessor, the Note 8 became an even better deal a year after its initial release. Its hardware is top-notch, from the simpler S Pen to the gorgeous display, and it can be found at a price much lower than the Note 9’s.
Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+
Like the Galaxy Note 8, the Galaxy S8 pair doesn’t have such a lucrative successor, making these two models popular among bargain shoppers. You’d have to deal with only a single camera on the back, but every other major feature, including the sleek body, is already available.
Google Pixel 2 XL
Google disappointed a lot of fans this year by releasing the Pixel 3 XL with an overly deep notch. If that’s not your thing, and you can live without some of the minor upgrades of the successor, the Pixel 2 XL can do almost everything just as well without a hideous black cutout.
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
As great as the Mate 20 Pro is, Huawei’s effort on the Mate 10 Pro stands the test of time. Its Leica-infused cameras are fantastic even by today’s standards, and the phone does get faster through time. It’s also a little less daunting compared to this year’s model.
Razer Phone
Because the Razer Phone 2 is practically an OG Razer Phone with slightly better components and cameras, choosing the 2017 model seems like a no-brainer if you’re looking to save a few bucks while still wanting a smartphone geared towards mobile gaming.
Lifestyle
What a day at Masungi GeoReserve taught me about a smartphone’s durability
Captured through the lens of the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G!
Xiaomi Philippines brought the Redmi Note 15 Series to Masungi GeoReserve to see how it holds up when the terrain is uneven.
Through the REDMI Titan Quest, we were brought into limestone paths and forest trails where dust settles fast and footing rarely stays predictable.
The day started with uneven ground beneath my feet and a phone that stayed out of my pocket. At Masungi GeoReserve, there was no reason to baby anything.
I spent the morning hiking and climbing, stopping only when something felt worth capturing using the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G.
Wide frames captured the scale of Masungi’s rock formations and open viewpoints.
Closer shots focused on textures, stone, and other details along the path. The 200-megapixel AI-powered camera system made it easy to move between 1x and 4x focal ranges as the light shifted throughout the day.
Power also never became a concern. With a 6,500mAh battery and 100W HyperCharge technology, the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G kept up through hours of being outdoors.
Really ‘Titan Tough’
Durability showed itself early. Dirt clung to the device, and there were small knocks along the way that felt normal for a trail like this. Nothing cracked, of course.
A Titan Tough Durability Station later reinforced what the hike already proved; that dust and water resistance, and drop protection matter most in activities like this.
Designed for days like this, the REDMI Titan Structure, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and fiberglass back panels create a phone that feels ready for impact.
The Pro+ variant I’ve been carrying also supports drop resistance of up to 2.5 meters, which feels reassuring.
The Titan Quest builds on earlier REDMI Titan Lab durability tests, where toughness was measured under controlled conditions. On the trail, those results felt tangible.
Availability
The REDMI Note 15 Series is available through Xiaomi’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada. Select models come with bundled accessories, gift sets, and digital perks such as three months of Spotify Premium and a three-month 100 GB cloud storage plan.
The series includes Xiaomi Philippines’ No. 1 protection package, covering a four-year battery warranty, two-year liquid damage and exterior protection, and a two-year standard warranty.
News
Apple is reportedly considering a clamshell iPhone
They will likely wait if the first foldable will be popular.
Apple’s current foldable strategy is just one guy going “wouldn’t it be nice if we had a foldable phone” and everyone else nodding along. For years, Apple has constantly teased the development of its own entry into the market but failing to produce anything other than rumors. Now, while we’re still missing the mythical foldable, the company is reportedly considering a second foldable already: a clamshell iPhone.
Currently, all the previous rumors pointed to a traditional book-style foldable phone from Apple. The forecast says that the device might finally launch this year, but they do say that every year. In the meantime, according to Bloomberg, a clamshell version is already “under consideration.”
It hardly needs reminding that “under consideration” doesn’t mean anything other than “it might happen.” In contrast, the traditional foldable is probably in a “we’re just making sure everything is perfect” phase.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is likely evaluating whether there is enough demand for the first foldable. If, as the company predicts, it takes off, the company will want to capitalize on the hype immediately.
There’s a lot of expectations riding on Apple’s mythical foldable. Sometimes, it even feels like the unreleased phone has reached a point where it can’t possibly meet everyone’s standards. But, at the very least, we hope it does launch this year.
SEE ALSO: An analyst has revealed the iPhone Fold’s price, and it’s insane
Last year, Nothing offered a worthy alternative to the usual flagship brands. Though the Phone (3) edged closer and closer to flagship-level prices, the smartphone is still a decent performer through and through. This year, however, a Phone (4) is not in the works.
Through a new YouTube video, Nothing’s Carl Pei has confirmed that the brand will not release a Phone (4) this year. The Phone (3) will still be the brand’s flagship option throughout 2026.
Pei did not reveal any explicit reason why they couldn’t make a new flagship this year. However, he does say that he wants every upgrade to be meaningful.
Despite the lack of a flagship, Nothing’s work will continue through the (a) series. The brand will release the new Phone (4a), for which Pei is promising a revolution. He says that there will be significant upgrades which will push the series closer to a flagship-like experience. It will also have new designs.
Unfortunately, the new phone might not come cheap. Along with the phone’s announcement, Pei confirmed that prices might increase this year, as a response to spiking RAM prices. It’s unclear how much it’s changing, though.
At the very least, the (a) series is usually priced competitively. However, if the increases affect the entire lineup, the flagship’s prices might go up to even more concerning levels.
SEE ALSO: Nothing will no longer lock screen ads on the Phone (3a) series
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